When you talk about the summer picnic season, you can’t avoid mentioning Memorial Day weekend, and with more Americans drinking wine these days, I can only assume beer won’t be the only thing people in western New York will be cooling off with this weekend. Since a recent Buffalo News wine story seems to have left out any mention of local wines in their picnic wine selections, I thought I’d give my two cents on what you should drink from local wineries with that picnic fare.
Chances are when you think of warm weather wines, you think of white, so I’ll start there. If you dig the dry stuff, Schulze Vineyards & Winery has a Siegfried Reserve 2007 wine that will bring that refreshing acidity and green apple fruit your mouth is watering for. If Riesling is your bag then, try either of these Niagara Escarpment AVA Rieslings. For the dry Riesling drinker in you Freedom Run Winery’s Estate Riesling 2008 is my pick, and if you like the hint of sweetness in a semi-dry, Eveningside Vineyards Riesling 2008 is for you.
For both the oaked and unoaked Chardonnay drinkers, I recommend Arrowhead Spring’s Chardonnay 2006. Duncan Ross seems to have a touch with this grape and I’d pour this one for any dry white drinker, no matter their love or hate of oak.
When you can’t decide what to pair with picnic foods, a dry to off-dry rosé usually does the trick. Freedom Run’s Celebration Series Dry Rosé is a great example of a crowd- pleasing summer sipper. With notes of strawberry and watermelon coming through in a supple yet refreshing rosé wine, this one doesn’t disappoint.
If you’re doing some BBQ’d meats you might prefer some reds at your picnic. In my opinion summer reds must be fruity with soft tannins and a medium body, and Leonard Oakes’ Frontenac 2007 is just that. It’s juicy and soft with mellow tannins that will pair well with BBQ ribs, pork or burgers. Schulze Vineyards & Winery’s Cabernet Franc 2007 is another versatile red that will pair well with those choices or even that grilled rib eye steak.
What do you pair with dessert or what do you serve for those sweet wine drinkers? Well Honeymoon Trail Winery’s Pink Catawba is a double-gold medal sweet wine that will win over those sweet taste buds. If wine IS the dessert, then Niagara Landing’s Vidal Blanc Icewine 2007 should fit the bill with its apricot and honey flavors and lengthy finish.
No matter what your eating or who you’re eating it with, it’s more than easy these days to find a Niagara wine to open up with your friends and family this summer. There’s truly something for everyone at these wineries, so don’t let your local wine expert’s silence about local wines lead you to believe that we are just doing sweet stuff out here this summer.
